Horatio Clare
Brecon Beacons National Park
Local hero for:
Writing about growing up in the Brecon Beacons in his first book, 'Running For The Hills'
More info:
www.horatioclare.co.uk
A view of Cwmdu, in the Brecon Beacons National Park, where Horatio Clare spent much of his childhood
Early life
Horatio Clare was born in London in 1973. He moved with his family to live on a hill farm in Cwmdu in the Brecon Beacons National Park and he counts this part of Wales as his home.
His parents divorced and his mother, who had fallen in love with the Black Mountains where their farm was situated, took to sheep farming which made for an unusual upbringing for Horatio and his brother Alexander.
'Running For the Hills' describes the eccentric, romantic and often harsh upbringing Horatio had, and explores the causes of his parents divorce.
Awards
Running For The Hills won a Somerset Maugham Award in 2007, was longlisted for The Guardian First Book Award 2006 and Horatio was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, 2007.
Finding his voice
Horatio was educated at Malvern College and Atlantic College in the Vale of Glamorgan. After a chequered educational career (he was expelled from Malvern College) he went on to study English and York University before trying his hand at journalism and writing.
His second book (published by John Murray in 2007), called 'Truant: Notes From The Slippery Slope' takes in his education at York and the period afterwards when he dabbled in drugs and suffered from depression.
Welshman abroad
Horatio currently lives in Verona, Italy, where he teaches and continues to write. He has gone on to publish several other books including 'Sicily: Through Writers Eyes' and 'Marrakech: The Red City', and his journalism has featured in national newspapers and magazines.
